Delhi's Super Speciality Pvt Hospital clarifies over the controversy of exorbitant hospital charges on COVID-19

Saroj Super Speciality Hospital has issued a clarification to settle a controversy over the fee that is to be charged from coronavirus patients after an "out of date" circular presented a different picture. It said the hospital would charge in accordance with revised rates of Delhi Government.

New Delhi: Terming the circular, which had rates mentioned for patients, as an "out of date", Saroj Super Speciality Hospital has issued a "clarification", saying it would charge in accordance with the revised rates of the Delhi Government and the document in question was not for coronavirus patients.

There was an unverified circular doing rounds on the social media platforms. It had charges for coronavirus patient mentioned on it. ETV Bharat carried a story on it giving details how the hospital had become inaccessible for people in Delhi.

In the clarification that followed the news report, the hospital said it has started treating COVID-19 patients from June eight and charges would be in accordance with the revised rates.

"It has been brought to our notice that an out of date circular which was for panel patients is being circulated on social media about charges of treatment for COVID 19 patients. We confirm that COVID patients admissions have started only from June 8th, 2020, and we are charging as per the revised treatment cost," it said.

The hospital also added that people should not believe unconfirmed reports and should get in touch with the hospital directly for any clarification or information.

On Monday, an unverified document from the hospital, stating that the minimum charge for any coronavirus patient would be rupees three lakh irrespective of the number of days he/she might have stayed in the hospital, was noticed. It said rupees forty thousand would be charged per day for a bed in the general ward of the hospital and a bed in a single room would cost rupees 50,000.

Similarly, rupees 75,000 would be needed for an ICU bed and in case the patient requires a ventilator, the charges would up to rupees one lakh, it said.

It also made it clear that the amount of rupees four lakh would have to be submitted in advance at the time of admission. It would cost one lakh more for a single room and rupees eight lakh would be charged in advance in case the patient is to be admitted directly to the ICU facility of the hospital.